Washing-machine.



A. F. AMIILIIIIG.

WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 7, 1909.

Patented Dec.28,-19o9.

v wifbwaowa '565mm A A. F. AMELUNG. WASHING- MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 7, 1909.

944,935. Patented Dec. 28, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@menton Witwe/onen bUNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER F. AMELUNG, F SANBORN, IOWA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER F. AME- LUNG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sanborn, in the county of OBrien and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in l/Vashing-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in clothes washing machines of that type including a plurality of pounders and means for operating the pounders.

One object of my invention is the provision of a washing machine wherein the pounders may be readily and quickly moved into and secured in inoperative position, the pounders when in inoperative position being supported in such relation to the tub as to permit clothes to be freely placed within and withdrawn from the tub.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a washing machine which shall be simple, durable and efficient in construction, which may be operated at the expenditure of comparatively small energy, and which may be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low cost.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on a plane extending vertically and transversely through the washing machine, the pounders being shown in inoperative position. Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of one of the stops, and Fig. 4 is a sectional view illustrating the manner in which the sections of one of the connecting rods are secured in adjusted position.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, 1 designates the tub of my improved washing machine. The tub 1 is preferably rectangular in outline, and it is supported by legs 1a, the upper end of the tub being fully open. The inner surfaces of the bottom, side and end walls of the tub 1 are corrugated, as at 19. A pair of horizontally disposed supporting arms 2 are secured to the upper edges of the tub 1 and project rearwardly beyond the same, said projecting ends being supported by diagonal braces 2a( A power shaft 3 is ournaled Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 7, 1909.

Patented Dec. 28, 1909.

SeraI No. 488,400.

in bearings 3a secured to the supporting arms 2 and it is provided with a plurality of cranks 3b, the shaft being held against endwise movement by collars 3C which are secured to the shaft and engage the bearings. The power shaft 3 may be rotated through the medium of a hand wheel 18 which is secured to one end of the shaft. A pair of vertically disposed standards 4 are secured to the rear side of and extend above the tub 1. A counter shaft 5 is journaled in bearings formed in the upper ends of the standards 4, and it is secured against endwise movement by collars 5.a which are secured to the shaft and which engage the standards. A pair of levers 6 are secured to the counter shaft 5 by bearings 7 which are located at a point centrally between their ends, the levers projecting equally in both directions beyond the shaft. The bearings 7 open out through the lower edges of the levers 6 to permit the levers to be quickly applied to and removed from the counter shaft 5. The levers 6 are secured to the counter shaft 5 against accidental displacement by stops 8 which are pivotally secured to the levers at 9. The stops 8 are secured in position to retain the levers 6 against accidental displacement by means of removable pins 11. By reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings, it will be seen that each stop 8 comprises sides 10 which are adapted to embrace the sides of the levers 6 and which are united by a plate 7 a, the sides being provided with openings 10a for the reception of the counter shaft 5.

Founders, which consist of hollow conical heads 12 provided with horizontally disposed base flanges 12a are secured to the levers 6 by connecting rods which comprise sections 13 and 14. The sections 13 are secured to the apeXes of the pounders 12, and are telescopically received by the sections 14 which are pivotally secured to the levers 6 at 14a. As the sections 13 are telescopically received by the sections 14, the sections 13 may be adjusted to increase or decrease the length of the connecting rods. The lower ends of the sections 14 are split to provide spring jaws 14, and winged nuts 15 are threadedly mounted upon said jaws, said nuts providing means by which the spring jaws may be brought into such frictional engagement with the sections 13 as to hold such sections 13 against movement. The levers (i are connected to the power shaft 3 by links 16 which l OO ilO

are pivotally secured to the levers at 16a and which are connected to the cranks 8b of the shaft by straps 17.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it should be apparent that the rotation of the power shaft 3 will impart reciprocatory and oscillatory movements to the pouuders 12, and that such movements of the pounders will thoroughly and quickly free the clothes in the tub of all dirt. As the stops 8 may be swung out of engagement with the counter shaft 5 the pounders 12 may be moved into inoperative position, the pounders when in such position being supported by the counter shaft 5 above the tub. Then the pounders are in inoperative position, the clothes may be freely placed within orremoved from the tub.

lhile I have described the method of operation of the invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is 1. A washinO' machine com )rising a tub.

l n n a power shaft, means by which the powelV shaft may be operated, a counter shaft, a lever detachably connected to the counter shaft, a link connecting the lever and the power shaft, a pounder, and a rod connecting the pounder to the lever.

2. A washing machine comprising a tub, a power shaft, means by which the power shaft may be operated, a counter shaft, a lever provided with an open bearing adapted to receive the counter shaft, a stop secured to the lever and engaging the counter shaft, a link connecting the lever and power shaft, and a pounder secured to the lever.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER F. AMELUNG.

IVitnesses Jos. RANDOLPH,

J. A. JOHNSON. 

